weet, easily and soone tainted, his barke tender, and soone wounded,
and himselfe vsed by man, as man vseth himselfe, that is either
vnskilfully or carelessely.

{SN: Age of trees discerned.}
It is good for some purposes to regard the age of your fruit trees,
which you may easily know, till they come to accomplish twenty yeeres,
by his knots: Reckon from his root vp an arme and so to hys top-twig,
and euery yeeres growth is distinguished from other by a knot, except
lopping or remouing doe hinder.

CHAP. 15.

_Of gathering and keeping Fruit._

{SN: Generall Rule.}
{SN: Cherries, &c.}
Although it be an easie matter, when God shall send it, to gather and
keepe fruit, yet are they certaine things worthy your regard. You must
gather your fruit when it is ripe, and not before, else will it wither
and be tough and sowre. All fruit generally are ripe, when they beginne
to fall. For Trees doe as all other bearers doe, when their yong ones
are ripe, they will waine them. The Doue her Pigeons, the Cony her
Rabbets, and women their children. Some fruit tree sometimes getting a
taint in the setting with a frost or euill wind, will cast his fruit
vntimely, but not before he leaue giuing them sap, or they leaue
growing. Except from this foresaid rule, Cherries, Damsons and Bullies.
The Cherry is ripe when he is sweld wholy red, and sweet: Damsons and
Bulies not before the first frost.

{SN: Apples.}
Apples are knowne to be ripe, partly by their colour, growing towards a
yellow, except the Leather-coat and some Peares and Greening.

{SN: When.}
Timely Summer fruit will be ready, some at Midsummer, most at Lammus for
present vse; but generally noe keeping fruit before _Michal-tide_. Hard
Winter fruit and Wardens longer.

{SN: Dry stalkes.}
Gather at the full of the Moone for keeping, gather dry for feare of
rotting.

Gather the stalkes with all: for a little wound in fruit, is deadly: but
not the stumpe, that must beare the next fruit, nor leaues, for moisture
putrifies.

{SN: Seuerally.}
Gather euery kind seuerally by it selfe, for all will not keepe alike,
and it is hard to discerne them, when they are mingled.

{SN: Ouerladen trees.}
If your trees be ouer-laden (as they will be, being ordered, as is
before taught you) I like better of pulling some off (tho they be not
ripe) neere the top end of the bough, then of propping by much, the rest
shall be better fed. Propping puts the bough in danger, and frets it